NY Bill Would Lower Blood Alcohol Limit [POLL]

NEW YORK — If you've been drinking, and then get behind the wheel of a car and a cop pulls you over, you could be charged with driving while intoxicated if your blood alcohol content is 0.08 percent or higher.

That could change if New York lawmakers pass the new Crash Victims Rights & Safety Act — a package of bills that supporters believe will make streets safer across the state, according to Transportation Alternatives.

The bills include a traffic crash victim bill of rights, allowing speed limits to be lowered, speed safety camera improvements and lowering the blood alcohol content limit to 0.05 percent.

State Sen. John Liu, D-Queens, the blood alcohol content limit bill's sponsor, said getting the legislation passed is one of his top priorities, the New York Post reported.

He told the Post that the bill is needed because there is too much drunken driving going on.

Earlier this month, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he was in favor of lowering the legal limit for driving after alcohol consumption, as well as the other parts of the Crash Victim Rights & Safety Act.

His comments were framed by the recent death of NYPD Officer Anastasios Tsakos, who was killed while on duty by a woman accused of drunken driving.

"The fact is the laws are still too lenient towards those who take a vehicle and turn it into a de facto weapon," de Blasio was quoted as saying.

If New York passes the act, it would make the state only the second in the nation with a stricter BAC limit, besides Utah.

Now it's your turn to weigh in on the issue. Vote in our unscientific poll and tell us what you think in the comments.